This does not prove that the French boycot is working, all it proves is that France is seeing a rise in unemployment and economic instability, just like the USA suffred recently, and Germany, and Italy and Japan. If you look at proper economic figures since 9/11 nealry every western country has suffered like France is suffering now it is just the way it is.
The effectiveness of this boycot is a non factor, France is still a top holiday destination with the majority of visitors coming from America so if anything the US is helping France in a time of economic need. Plus with Fraace having free and open trade with hundreds of millions of potential customers this a problem that will sort itself out with proper and effective leadership
Of course at the monet they are weak but like I said they are not the first country to have this type of problem recently, we know that France makes a hell of a lot of money from other European and mainly US tourists in the summer so there will probably be small signs of recovery. We also know that France can trade with any country in the EU at no cost ( in terms of tarriffs and quotas) so there may be a pick up from that, we also know that France is having to deal with the threat from China ( which the US has suffred very badly from) and the other NICs that are a threat in terms of taking FDI.
All it takes is a strong economist to sort out the economy and make a few tough choices and France will bounce back ( it happend in the UK under Gordon Brown).
Despite what you may hope, beg and pray for France is not going to the wall and the boycot is probably a mere drop in the ocean in terms of financial loss.
I guess that USA1 would love to have the rise of unemployment in France explained by the boycott initiated by right wing nutters. Sorry, but last time I checked the figures, as Lodge put it above, the number of american tourists in Paris has never been that high
Our western countries are facing lots of new challenges, and first and foremost the rise of China as a new leader, exporting products at very low costs. ALL our countries are loosing jobs because of that, and it seems to me that in the US the rise of unemployment in industrial fields is significant.
Instead of rejoicing yourself USA1 you should ask yourself the right questions about the stakes. Our countries have so much to gain through partnership rather than through childish behaviours like that. Once again you miss the point.
02-25-2005 02:01 PM
